


Be My...?

by marbee



Series: It Can Be Good Again [2]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Post-Mockingjay, Pre-Epilogue Mockingjay, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:55:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22424443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marbee/pseuds/marbee
Summary: It's been over a year since Peeta has returned to District 12 and has been a constant fixture in Katniss' life. That is until she has not seen him for a whole week in February.
Relationships: Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Series: It Can Be Good Again [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1613773
Comments: 3
Kudos: 72





	1. What's So Special in February?

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to go down memory lane and re edit some of my older work that I have posted here. I am not quite sure I caught all the mistakes but I definitely think these are better than the originals

I haven't seen Peeta all week. At first, he usually came with Greasy Sae for breakfast and dinner—sometimes he lingered around, sometimes he didn't. But after a year, we've developed a cool relationship, where we are usually at each other’s houses. We don't do much, really. When Peeta is over, he's usually sketching something, he can do that for hours on end. Sometimes he reads when he has nothing to draw about. When I'm over at his house, I pretend to nap on his couch or sneak a cheese bun while he pretend not to be paying attention. We don't talk much, mostly just enjoy each other's company.

He knows I don't sleep at night and I know about his flashbacks. Most recently, we've been taking walks around what's left of the district at night. He claims that the soothing sounds of the night keeps him at bay, and I like the walks because when I get home, I'll am terribly exhausted and fall into a dreamless sleep in two seconds flat. He usually keeps away when he feels an episode coming on—he won't come over and he'll lock his doors so I can’t come in. One time I tried to come through his bedroom window and as a result, he now locks that too when he has his flashbacks.

That's why I think Peeta hasn't come over, he probably had an awful flashback and still hasn't recovered. What probably triggered it was the fact that he finally decided to rebuild and reopen the bakery. One time I was pretending to nap, I overheard him telling Sae and Haymitch that some strange things have happened while rebuilding. Some things have been moved to when he knows that no one has been inside. Cake molds and cookie tins have been moved and placed where his father would have put them. His middle brother, Rye, apparently had, according to Peeta, the awful habit of leaving his broomstick up against the back counter after he was done sweeping and no matter how many times Peeta checks and makes sure he has placed the broomstick in the cleaning closet before he leaves at night, it is always there right up against the counter when he comes in the morning. He knows it couldn’t have been Delly’s younger brother, Todd. Todd has been working with Peeta since he and Delly returned to the district but since he’s still on the younger side, Peeta only lets him work a limited number of hours and is never there for closing. Peeta has also ruled out his other employees, Lizzie, Hans, Atticus and Pricilla stating that all of them are bigger sticklers for organization than he is. At first, I wasn't a big fan of Peeta opening the bakery again so soon, but if he felt it was right and the people of District 12 want his bread, who am I to stop him?

Greasy Sae just left, mumbling about me having a good evening. Have a good evening? It’s barely late morning? Is Sae not coming back for dinner? I decide not to dwell on that too much. I'm back on the couch, pretending to read a book but that proves fruitless. I contemplate on going to hunting. I could bring Sae some game, maybe a squirrel or two and some herbs for Peeta. It would be perfect, February has been treating us well and I should take full advantage, but something is telling me that I should stay home.

Perhaps I should call my mother or Dr. Aurelius, but I'm not really up for conversation, too exhausting. I decide that I should just take a nap, hopefully Peeta stops by and sees me sleeping. Maybe he’ll feel bad and bake me some cheese buns. Just as my eyes begin to flutter when I hear a knock on my door. Who could that be? The only person I am interested in seeing right now is Peeta and he hasn’t knocked on my door in months. He knows I don’t lock my door, so why would he knock.

Upon opening the door, I find no one outside. I roll my eyes. It was probably Haymitch, trying to play a dumb joke on me. When he's not drunk, he's either in a terrible mood or stupid. Today he's stupid.

I'm just to walk to Haymitch to see what he wants when I see it... a plate of heart shaped cookies with green and sunset orange frosting. There's only one person it could be. Peeta.

There's a note next to the plate and I grab both. I sit down on the rocking chair I have outside. It’s a note from Peeta.

_"Hey Katniss, sorry I haven't been over lately. I've had something plan for today...for us. I knew if I saw you this week, I'd let it slip and well I wanted it to be surprise. Please come to my house for dinner at 5:00. You don't have to come if you’re not feeling up to it, but I'd really like it if you came. I'd like to think it’s a very special day today and well I would mean the world to me if you did come. I hope you like the cookies and one more thing..._

_Be my Valentine?"_

What the hell is a Valentine? I stare at the paper, reading his words over and over again. What would be so special about today? I don't recall any holiday of some sorts in February, but then it dawned on me. In the book I was pretending to read, it had mentioned that in this month, before the Dark Days, there was a day for lovers. The day was the 14th. Just like today's date. Peeta must have read the same book.

I glance at Peeta's house and see a figure fade from the window.

"Whatcha say, sweetheart?"

I jump from my seat, almost dropping the cookies. I find Haymitch leaning on the side of my house.

"Damn you! You scared me!"

"Sorry sweetheart, but when lover boy told me about his little plan, I just had to see it live in action," he smirks.

I wish I can shoot an arrow through his face.

"So how bout it, sweetheart? You saying yes?" he chuckles.

I look at him long and hard before I whisper, "I don't know," I look down, "I'm scared."

Haymitch purses his chapped lips and says, "you do realize that this past year he's been holding out his heart, he's been afraid to cross some imaginary line. He's paranoid of pushing his luck. This might actually break him, if you say no. And in turn it'll shatter you."

He walks over and reaches down for a cookie and continues, "so think about it. No actually don't think about it, just do it, you know deep down in that harden shell of yours that you want to go."

He takes a bite and starts to walk down the steps, "if I were you, I'd start getting ready now. Knowing you, you'll need all the time you can get."

I hate that he’s right. As soon as he walks into the pigsty he calls home, I get up to go take a shower. I actually want to look nice this evening. I mean what's the worst that could happen, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recall writing this because I was inspired by a video that the Hunger Games official account posted for Valentine's Day. I have it linked below!
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/zFvPw-Cto6/
> 
> Also, I may or may not be writing the actual date but no promises my dudes.


	2. Relatively Speaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peeta had the whole date planned out, all he hopes is that everything turns out okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are mine!

The worst happened. Well relatively speaking.

Only twice since I was brought back to District 12, have I wish I was sitting in a styling chair, with my team running around, fussing over how dry my hair is, in horror about how hairy my legs are, distressed about how I have bitten my nails down to little nubs. 

The first time was on my birthday last May. Peeta and I were still on wishy-washy terms, he had only been back to the district for a month or two, but he still found it in his heart to organize a nice dinner with Greasy Sae, her granddaughter, and Haymitch in attendance. He had said it was nothing fancy so there was no need to look nice, but there was still a small part of me that wanted to. I had actually tried to look nice, I took a shower, tried to comb out the knots in my matted hair. I still wasn’t in a good place at the time, so it took a lot more effort just to do that. If my styling team was here, they would have been able to get this all done in no time. After drying my hair, I had decided that it wasn’t worth the effort to look nice. It wasn’t like they haven’t seen me looking like a mess so why act like I’m something I’m not. However, I did decide that I was going to forgo my braid and go to dinner with my hair down. Perhaps, it was wishful thinking, but I swore Peeta couldn’t stop stealing glances towards me during dinner. 

The second time I wished my styling team was here was right now at this moment. Back in December, Effie had sent me over a styling beauty kit that came with a curling rod, hairbrushes, different types of lotions and some makeup. I had scoffed when I had opened her package. When was I going to need all these powders, when was I ever going to curl my hair  _ voluntarily _ , when was I going to exfoliate my burned skin? I stand in front of my vanity that I never use, wrapped in a towel, my dark hair dripping wet, looking like a damn fool. I eye like makeup products and styling products in front of me. I have no clue where to start. I contemplate calling Effie for advice, but then I remembered how that woman looks like. No offense to Effie but electric blue isn’t really my color (or hers if I’m being honest). 

I recall my mother saying she’s going to be working a double shift at the hospital today, so I doubt she’s going to have much time to talk me through using a curling rod and applying powders. So, I guess I’m off to fend for myself. It’s fine, I’m fine, I have been through worst. I can do this. 

+++

I should not have asked Katniss to dinner. There was no guarantee that she would come. There was no guarantee that she felt the same. I could have just misread all the cues. Of course, she would spend time at my place and allow me to be at hers. Gale lives in District 2, her mother and Annie live in District 4, Johanna went back to District 7. It’s not like Delly and Katniss were ever close, so it’s not like they would hang out on a regular basis. So, it had to me. 

I have been pacing a lot. I have been pacing around my home ever since I dropped off those cookies on her doorstep. I had been pacing when I prepared the cheese buns and goat cheese and apple tarts at the bakery. Poor Atticus and Lizzie must have thought I was going insane…relatively speaking. I was pacing while making Katniss’ favorite meal—lamb stew with dried plums. I was pacing around his living room waiting for her to possibly show up. I feel bad about avoiding her the whole week, but I knew if I wanted things to go as planned, my interactions with Katniss needed to limited. 

The moment of truth was creeping up. I glance at the clock. 4:50. I told her to come around 5:00. I’m not sure if I should turn on the music I have queued up or wait to see if she comes around. 

I decided that I’ll give her ten past five, maybe she's taken forever to get ready. When it's 5:30, I finally accept the fact that she's not coming and is going to blow out the candles when I hear a knock on the door. It's probably Haymitch, probably wanting to tell me he told him so. At least the food wouldn’t go to waste.

I put on a show of rolling my eyes as I opened the door, "I know I know Hay-"

"Peeta?"

There she was standing, with her hands twisted together. She presents me with a tight smile.

"Katniss, you came," I breathed.

"Well you said to come, didn't you? And sorry that I'm late, I got caught up…with stuff," she blushes, gesturing her face and hair.

I see what she means, she seemed to have been a little heavy-handed with the makeup, maybe she tried to cover up the fresh burn on her forehead. She must've burned herself with that curling rod Effie sent over back in winter. Speaking of the curling rod, her hair is crazily curled, it was easy to tell that she tried to fix it by pulling it back in a half up half down hairstyle.

"Why yes, come in Katniss," I took a step to the side and let her in. I had caught a whiff in the scent of her hair. It smells terrible...like burnt almonds.

I led her into the dining room where I had everything set up. I excused myself to go turn on the music and bring the food he had prepared. I hope the food didn’t get cold. 

Once I have set all the food on the table, I see her eyeing the bowl in front of her.

"Thanks, Katniss, for coming, it means a lot." 

She looks up and I see a ghost of a smile. We eat with a comfortable silence but I'm still nervous. I didn't realize how sweaty my palms were until now. I steal glances towards, she’s still beautiful even under all those curls and patchy makeup. I don’t know if I should mention how much I like the orange sweater she’s wearing. I figure I shouldn’t push my luck and just be happy she’s here…in front of me, enjoying this meal I made for both of us.

We eat for a moment longer when she's the first to break the silence, "did you see Haymitch getting attacked by a bunch of his geese the other day?" 

I tilt my head back, roaring with laughter, "Yeah, I did actually. I was on my way home from the bakery when I caught him getting trampled.”

“How is work at the bakery?” she asked between bites. 

I wipe my mouth with the napkin on my lap, “It’s been going good, Hans, Atticus, Lizzie, Pricilla, and Todd are great teamwork with. I’m pretty sure Todd has a little crush of a girl from 5, he usually helps me decorate some of the cookies before he goes with Pricilla to the register. The girl usually comes in around noon and every day he rushes and gives the prettiest one.”

It was Katniss’s turn to let out a big laugh. Oh, how have I missed that laugh. 

After a moment, she says quietly, “you still haven’t invited me to the bakery”.

_ Oh. _ I didn’t see that coming.

“I…I…I didn’t know that you wanted to come to see the bakery” I stutter. 

I can’t tell if she’s actually blushing or if it’s the heavy rouge she has on. 

“We can go the bakery after we finish eating,” I offer, glancing at the clock, “closing shift should be gone by then”

+++

With our bellies stuffed with cheese buns, tarts and lamb stew, Peeta and I walk side by side to the bakery. I don’t know what compelled me to tell him he’s never invited me to his bakery, but here we are. I knew I looked ridiculous when I went over to Peeta’s and I was relieved that he didn’t comment on my appearance, but now we are walking to town. With me looking like an actual Capitol clown. I think Peeta feels like my growing self-consciousness about how everyone is going to see me looking like this and offers me his coat. Normally, I wouldn’t take his jacket, especially when it’s this cold outside but I’m still known as the insane girl who killed the wrong president and considering I look absolutely ridiculous at the moment, I can’t really say no. 

Peeta helps me into his coat, “We’re almost to the Town Square, I’m not sure if you’ve been here at night but it’s really something. They put in these really pretty lights; they kind of look like fireflies. They also recently built a huge water foundation in the middle of the Square too. The bakery is right across from the foundation. I’m thinking of having extended hours on the weekends in the spring and summer and expand my menu so people can enjoy some treats and a drink if they wanted to when they’re taking a night stroll, you know.”

The picture of it makes me smile, “That sounds really amazing, Peeta”.

Peeta winks at me, “well thank you,” and with that, he lifts up the hood over my head and continues to lead the way. 

The closer we get to Town Square, the bolder I start to feel. Maybe it’s because Peeta was right. I can see the lights clearer and clearer as we walk. From far away it looks quite…romantic. Maybe it’s because I’m wrapped warmly in Peeta’s coat, it smells like him. Maybe it’s because there’s a small gap of space between us. Maybe because our hands keep on brushing against one another. 

Suddenly I remember what Haymitch told me earlier today— _ he’s been afraid to cross some imaginary line. He's paranoid about pushing his luck.  _

_ Pushing his luck _ . 

Pushing my own, I decide to interlock Peeta’s hand with mine. It feels just like my hand—scarred and callous, but he is much bigger and warmer. But there’s a spark that electrifies us both. Peeta stops in his tracks, looks at our intertwined hands and looks back at me. I give him a sweet smile and he relaxes his shoulders gives me a chuckle in return before he returns to lead the way. 

+++

We walk in through the back of the bakery. It’s much larger than one Peeta had grown up in. It was destroyed in the firebombs that enflamed District 12 so it makes sense that he would have to build it back up from scratch. Standing in the middle of the room, I take a good look at all that is around me. Although it was all new and industrial, nothing how I pictured his family’s bakery, it still had a warm and cozy feel. I am suddenly hit the image of little Peetas, with bright blue eyes and curly golden locks, following their father around like little ducklings following their mother. I smile at the image.

Peeta’s groans pull me of my sweet reverie, “there’s that damn broom again.” 

I look back at Peeta, putting at the broom back in the cleaning closet, “Maybe someone left it there before they left,” I offer. 

“I doubt it,” he replies, “would like you like some warm milk, Katniss?”

“I would love some, yeah” I smile.

He smiles back at me, moving to the large refrigerator. I gravitate to the front of the store. I can’t help but wonder the storefront design was all Peeta or is he had some help. The interior of the front of the bakery is made up of red bricks, with white booths all along the sides with a few high, dark wooden tables in the middle. The display counters are a mint green color that contrasts that deep red walls. On one of the walls, it seems like Peeta had painted a large mural of red and orange tulips and dandelions. 

I hear Peeta’s heavy footsteps walking towards me so I turn around to meet him, “I wanted to paint the display counters orange, but Effie said it would look too tacky,” he smirks as he hands me a warm mug. 

As I bring the cup to my mouth, I smell hints of honey and spices. I am reminded of how he held me in his arms on the train to our Quarter Quell. For a moment, I wonder whatever happened to the train attendant who brought us the milk. I look back at that moment on the train, how I didn’t expect to come out alive and how I would have given it all so that Peeta would have been crowned the victor. Never in a thousand years would I have imagined that he and I would be standing in his bakery on a date sipping spiced milk. I examine his burns on his forehead, he has one that starts on the side of the face that blends into the burns on his neck. I place my mug on the nearby table and reach out to touch his scars. Peeta closes his eyes and leans into my touch. I let my hand travel from his forehead to the bridge of his nose to his lips. I feel his arms wrap around my waist, pulling me closer to him. 

“Is this okay?” he whispers, pressed tiny circles on the small of my back. 

Taking my chances, I cup his jaw and press my lips against his. He responds immediately with great fervor. This is our first kiss since coming home to District 12. Whereas our last kiss in the sewers of the Capitol tasted like sweat and adrenaline, our kiss in his bakery tastes like cinnamon and a dream. I feel that stirring inside my chest from when we first kissed. I bring my hands down to his chest, wrapping around his broad shoulders bringing him closer to me. Peeta wraps one of his arms completely around, and the other one out of habit perhaps, reaches for my neck. I break the kiss and wince from his touch, images of Peeta running towards me, his hands with an iron grip on my throat flashes through my mind ruining a perfect moment. 

“Katniss…” Peeta starts but I don’t want to see the hurt in his eyes. I know Peeta would never willingly hurt me, but I couldn’t stop myself even if I tried. Before I realize it, my feet are rushing me out of the bakery. I feel tears beginning to pool in my eyes, not because Peeta hurt me but because it shouldn’t be this way. I shouldn’t have to wince from Peeta’s touch, Peeta shouldn’t be afraid to touch me. I will not stop blaming the Capitol for what they have done to him. 

As if the night could get any better, I feel drops of water falling and seeping through Peeta’s coat. It starts to rain harder with each passing second. As stupid as it is, I let my tears fall down my face, it’s not like anyone is going to see them anyway.

I’m halfway to Victor’s Village when I hear loud footsteps stomping towards my direction. I knew who it is, but I don’t want to face them. 

I feel a strong hand wrap around my upper arm, I make no effort in trying to pull away. 

“Katniss,” Peeta gasps, “please listen to me, talk to me.”

I let him turn me around, but I keep my eyes planted on the ground. 

“Katniss, I am so sorry, I should have never touched your neck, but I promise you that I wasn’t trying to hurt you.”

I stay silent, looking at our boots a little while longer until I say, “You shouldn’t have run after me Peeta.”

“What? What do you mean?”

I look up at him, “Peeta, your leg,” I gesture his prosthetic, “Dr. Aurelius isn’t going to be happy that you got it soaking wet.”

Peeta rolls his eyes and huffs, “yeah I guess not.”

“I know you won’t hurt me, Peeta” I whisper through my chattering teeth, “I’m just upset.”

“With me?” His eyes look so vulnerable. 

“No, with what they did to you. You don’t deserve any of this,” I wipe the water from my face. 

“Yeah I’m not the biggest fan either, Sweetheart,” he smirks. 

I bark out a laugh and I feel Peeta intertwine with hands with mine as he says, “but we’ve come along way together…right?” 

I look into his eyes and see vulnerability; a type of vulnerability is only meant for me.

“Yes, we have,” I tell him, and he reaches down, wrapping his strong arms around me from underneath his coat that I have on and kisses me once more. As our lips move together and our bodies pressed together, I can’t help but feel that hunger again. A hunger that keeps me warm throughout in this rain. One hand glides and firmly grabs me by the curve of my waist while the other finds itself on my bum. Peeta pulls away from my lips and peppers kisses on my nose, my cheeks, and my jaw. He hesitates the closer he gets to my neck, trying the avoid the area all entirely until I nod my head and thread my finger through his drenched hair. He places soft, strategic kisses on my neck. I can feel his long, curly eyelashes flutter again my lower jaw and neck as he kisses every burn on my throat, paying extra attention to the parts that were once bruised by his hands. If he didn’t pull away soon, I am almost certain that I would get a different kind of bruising. However, I can’t stop myself from craning my neck to the side, giving him more access because it just felt so right.

He travels up the column of my throat, locking his eyes with mine before placing one last, searing kiss on my lips, our tongues brushing one another slightly. We are both gasping for air, our foreheads pressed together, the rain still pouring all around us. 

After a moment Peeta says, “Can I ask you something, Katniss?”

“Anything,” I hum, still reeling from his kisses.

“Did your own hair and makeup?”

I look back at him, furrowing my eyebrows, “Yeah…why?”

He gives a classic Peeta Mellark smile, the smile he gives when he knows he’s being charming, “oh, I could tell.”

And then I finally notice it, some of my makeup, lipstick, rouge and even mascara, seems to have transferred onto Peeta’s face. If it is smeared all over Peeta’s face, I don’t even want to think about how it looks on my own. 

I scoff at him and start smacking his chest with both of my hands. 

Peeta, who had previously been trying to stifle his laughter, is now roaring. It’s those type of laughs that come from deep within the stomach. He starts to double over; he can’t help it. 

I make a show of crossing my arms and stomping away towards home. 

Peeta soon catches up to me, wrapping his arms around my front, “Oh don’t you fret, Sweetheart. You’re beautiful with and without makeup,” he smacks a kiss on my cheek that makes me cringle my nose.

“Oh, shut up,” I tell him swatting his arm. 

He removes his arms from my waist and moves in front of me, blocking my path. He brushes his nose against mines and says, “make me.” With that, he runs off. 

My mouth is left wide open for like a second and then I run after him. 

+++

I haven’t been on a lot of first dates before today but I’m pretty sure it is uncommon for people to end up together in the same bed at the end of the night. But after Katniss had caught up with me—and in a somewhat out of character but at the same time in character considering she is kind of competitive move, she pinned me to the side of my home and didn’t stop kissing me until we both were in dire need of air—did we realized that neither one of us wanted to spend the night alone. 

So that’s how Katniss and I ended up in my bed this evening, and besides a few more kisses and a couple of perhaps borderline, not so innocent caresses, nothing much happened. I look down at Katniss, who is sound asleep and resting her head on my chest and in the corner on the bed, lays Buttercup. A few weeks back, he found a way into my house and it almost seems as if he knew we would both end up here. I can’t tell what relationship they have with one another, but the image of it all makes my heart swell. I place a kiss on the crown of her head, taking note of how her hair smells like the shampoo I use, fresh from the shower she took when we both came inside my house. 

Looking back at how our date went, it definitely didn’t go as planned. Although, relatively speaking, I think it still turned out pretty great. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I meant to have this out by Valentine's Day but it wasn't coming out right, here are some virtual dino chicken nuggets! 
> 
> Y'all know that scene in Mulan where the Matchmarker get the tea poured on her and her makeup smears? Yeah that's how I pictured Katniss in the rain. 
> 
> The food mentioned in the chapter, I found some recipes online!  
> Goat cheese apple tart: https://www.fictionalfood.net/2011/10/goat-cheese-apple-tarts/  
> Lamb stew with dried plums: https://paleospirit.com/hunger-games-lamb-stew-with-dried-plums/  
> Warm spiced milk: http://www.geekychef.com/2014/02/submission-spiced-warm-milk.html
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
